Packaged fresh food product and method for packaging fresh food products

ABSTRACT

A packaged fresh food product, particularly a meat product ( 10 ) is disclosed that comprise a hygroscopic insert ( 22 ) provided with a perforated humidity barrier layer as well as a foil separating both the hygroscopic insert ( 20 ) and the product ( 10 ) from the atmosphere outside the package. The foil is sealed by a seam prepared under vacuum conditions to enclose the product and the hygroscopic insert ( 22 ). Preferably, the foil is a bag ( 30 ). A method for producing packaged fresh food product ( 10 ) is also disclosed, wherein the product ( 10 ) is prepared, cut as needed and/or seasoned, then together with a hygroscopic insert ( 22 ) is sealed by a foil. The foil is sealed under vacuum conditions and it is preferred to use a bag ( 30 ) as a foil.

The subject matter of the invention is a packaged fresh food product, especially a meat product, and a procedure for the production thereof, as a result of which packaged vegetables, fish, meat, carcase meat, poultry, processed meat, for instance sausage can be produced with a better shelf life than that of packaged products of the art.

The use of such trays is widespread for packaging meat products and other grocery products, wherein the meat product is placed then tightly sealed with a foil. In some cases a moisture absorbent insert is placed beneath the meat product, especially carcase meat or poultry, which absorbs the moisture leaking out from the meat product after packaging. The moisture absorbent insert may be the tray itself, and there are several solutions for this purpose, disclosed e.g. in WO 0046125, DE 1 972 5949, EP 115 0901, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,606. The advantage of this solution is that the tray absorbs the moisture from the meat product so that it remains invisible.

In case of processed meat products another kind of packaging can be used if the moisture content of the meat product is relatively low. In such case the meat product is placed in a bag, and the bag is closed under vacuum. This solution may be hardly used in case of meat products having greater moisture content. Also in case of other meat products a certain amount of moisture will leak out, which disadvantageously affects the appearance of the packaged product.

The consumability period of packaged meat products is greatly influenced by the cleanliness of the meat product, the number of microbes in it. It is a very important aspect, particularly in case of fresh, i.e. not frozen meat products, that how long the meat product may be stored. Other circumstances influence the consumability of meat products. Commercial distribution and transportability are disadvantageously affected by the limited period of consumability.

The aim of the invention is to extend this consumability period and to improve the aesthetical appearance of several kinds of fresh products, such as

As a result of removing the vacuum applied at packaging, the product 10 placed in the tray 20 is pressed to the tray 20, if it is soft; it flattens out and protrudes from the level of the edge of the tray 20 only slightly.

Keeping the shape of soft sausages may be improved by superficial heat treatment, for instance by dipping into hot water, as a result of which the outer layer of the sausage hardens.

In course of the method developed for producing the packaged meat product of the invention, the meat, or meat product constituting the product 10 to be packaged, e.g. cut fresh meat, minced meat, sausage, seasoned meat on sticks prepared for grilling, is placed in the tray 20 then put into a bag 30 suitable for vacuum packaging.

The bag 30 may be formed on site, or may be substituted with one or two foils that may be used to cover the product 10 placed in the tray 20. Subsequently it is placed into a traditional, for instance a double chamber KOMET Plusvac 25 type, or other type of machine applicable for vacuum packaging that usually works in such a manner that the creation of vacuum starts only after its lid is closed. After the suitable value of vacuum usually used for vacuum-packaging is reached, and a normal vacuuming time has lapsed, the machine forms a sealing weld 31 around the tray by welding a bag 30 placed onto a trimming-welding edge formed with an appropriate shape, then it trims the part of the bag falling outside thereof as necessary. After trimming the vacuum may be stopped, the lid may be opened, and at this time the material of the bag 30 is air-tightly drawn onto the product 10 in the tray 20 due to the pressure of the surrounding air and the vacuum inside the bag 30, and only such wrinkles 32 are formed that are relatively small depending on the size of the bag 30 compared to the tray 20, but do not prevent the placing of the individual packages beside or onto one another. The wrinkles 32 may be removed or decreased if the bag 30 is made of a heat shrinking foil, and the surface of the prepared package is heat treated subsequently to packaging under vacuum by dipping it into water having an appropriate temperature or blowing hot air onto it for a short period. During heat treatment the shape of the package may be preserved by placing into an appropriate shaped and sized basket. In case of applying hot air, the foil may be smoothed away, adjusted by hand using protecting gloves, the shape of the package may be formed. The vacuuming may be combined with and/or substituted by filling up with protecting gas, e.g. nitrogen.

FIG. 4 shows the cross sectional view of the packaged product of the invention, from which it is clearly visible that the product 10 placed in the tray 20 fills out the tray 20 almost entirely. The atmospheric pressure transmitted by the bag 30 slightly flattens the product 10, as a result it fills out the tray 20 even better, so the product 10 bulges out only a little. The material of the bag 30 is slightly pressed into the interim space between the edge of the tray 20 and the product 10.

Packaging may be performed into plastic bowls produced by vacuum forming injection moulding or another suitable manner, or even into metal bowls provided with appropriate surface finish, wherein a moisture absorbent insert provided with a perforated moisture impermeable surface layer is placed at first, then the product to be packaged is placed onto this insert. In this case such bowl takes the role of the tray 20 where the bowl itself does not have to be packaged for separating the product from the surrounding air, but it is sufficient to seal it with a foil in an airtight manner. Subsequently to vacuuming—and/or flushing with protective gas—the bowl and the product placed into it may be covered with e.g. plastic foil, then closed by heat sealing or bonding.

The moisture oozing out from the product 10 during a subsequent storing under the effect a of the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere and the vacuum will be absorbed by the moisture absorbent insert through the holes 21 of the tray 20, and therefore the moisture will not accumulate on the surface of the product 10.

Surprisingly, it was found that the period of the fresh product packaged with this method remains consumable has significantly extended. Experiences in connection with the consumability of products packaged with several different methods gained through sense perception are summarised in the table at the end of the specification.

Microbiological examinations have also proved the sensually well perceptible improvement of the quality of the packaged product after several days of storing, and it has been proven that the product packaged in such manner keeps its perfect condition from a microbiological aspect, even after 15 days of storing. Numerous tests were conducted with raw meat, poultry, fish, as well as with processed meat products, and in case of all products the period of consumability has extended substantially; if compared to packaging only in foil without vacuum, the consumability period has increased very significantly even to as much as three times of its value, while compared to packaging using vacuum, generally by 30-50%. At the same time the quality is improved as well, including the general appearance, colour, taste, touch of the packaged product. There is no substantial amount of excess moisture on the product neither in the packaging nor after its removal from the packaging.

In order to check consumability and preservation of freshness, we have conducted comparative sensual examinations on boned pork chop, beef neck, salmon fillet, and pepper (capsicum) cut into pieces. We have packaged these products using the traditional methods and the method of the invention, then stored them at +5±1° C. temperature for different periods, and after said periods the quality of the products packaged by different methods were inspected and compared by sensual perception, by vision, touch and smelling.

The results are included in the table below.

Samples numbered 1, 5, 7 and 9 were placed into a simple tray and closed it with polyethylene foil. Sample No. 2 was placed in a simple tray and closed under vacuum. Samples Nos. 3, 4, 6, 8 and 10 were packaged using the method of the invention, for which method a tray, vacuum-foil bag and packaging machine were used, as mentioned above. After sealing under vacuum, the packages were dipped into water having a temperature of +75±5° C. and were pushed downwards to submerge below the surface of water otherwise they floated onto the surface of the water because of the foamed plastic tray. Then the packaged samples were stored at +5±0.5° C. temperature until the examination has been carried out. The results reflect clearly the substantial extension of the consumability period of the fresh product.

Sample Period Sensual perception No. Sample [days] Packaging Odour Colour Touch Appearance Consumability 1 Pork 8 tray + foil obtrusive greenish brown sticky mold suitable bad smell 2 Pork 8 foil + vacuum bad smell pale brown sticky a lot of oozed not recommended moisture 3 Pork 8 moisture absorbent tray + none natural normal fresh suitable foil + vacuum 4 Pork 15 moisture absorbent tray + none natural normal fresh suitable foil + vacuum 5 Beef 8 tray + foil bad smell greenish sticky oozed moisture unsuitable brownish 6 Beef 8 moisture absorbent tray + none dark red normal fresh suitable foil + vacuum 7 Fish 8 tray + foil bad smell greenish brown sticky not fresh unsuitable 8 Fish 8 moisture absorbent tray + normal natural normal fresh suitable foil + vacuum 9 Pepper 8 tray + foil none brownish at cut soft matt if cooked edges 10 Pepper 8 moisture absorbent tray + none natural fresh shiny suitable foil + vacuum 

1-7. (canceled)
 8. A packaged fresh food product comprising a moisture absorbent insert provided with a perforated moisture impermeable layer, and a foil separating both the product and the moisture absorbent insert from the surrounding atmosphere outside the package, characterised by a vacuum sealing welded seam (31) produced under vacuum to seal the foil enclosing the product (10) and the moisture absorbent insert (20).
 9. The packaged product according to claim 8, characterised in that the product (10) is placed in a tray (20) incorporating a moisture absorbent insert (22), and a moisture impermeable layer formed with holes (21) opening towards the moisture absorbent insert (22) is provided on the inner bottom surface of the tray (20).
 10. The packaged fresh food product according to claim 8 characterised in that the product (10) is unseasoned, seasoned, marinated, heat treated or smoked meat product, especially red meat, poultry, venison meat or fish.
 11. The packaged fresh food product according to any of claims 8 characterised in that the foil has the shape of a bag (30).
 12. Method for producing a packaged fresh food product, especially meat product, wherein the product is prepared, cut as necessary and/or seasoned, then sealed together with a moisture absorbent insert with an air-tight foil, characterised in that the foil is sealed under vacuum.
 13. Method according to claim 12, characterised in that a bag (30) is used as foil, and the sealing under vacuum is sealed by welding the bag (30) around the edges of the tray (20), and the part of the bag (30) falling outside of the welding is removed after trimming around.
 14. Method according to claim 12, characterised in that the product (10) is placed into an air-tight bowl including a moisture absorbent insert (22), then the bowl including the product (10) is covered with foil, and the foil (30) is sealed onto the bowl under vacuum by a welded seam formed along the edge of the bowl, and if necessary, the parts of the foil and the bowl falling outside of the sealing welded seam is removed after trimming.
 15. The packaged fresh food product according to claim 9 characterised in that the product (10) is unseasoned, seasoned, marinated, heat treated or smoked meat product, especially red meat, poultry, venison meat or fish.
 16. The packaged fresh food product according to any of claims 9 characterised in that the foil has the shape of a bag (30).
 17. The packaged fresh food product according to any of claims 10 characterised in that the foil has the shape of a bag (30). 